The Lions have started filling out the edges of their roster, and their first external move after getting down to 53 players is a familiar name from the NFC South.
Detroit is signing former Buccaneers offensive lineman Elijah Klein to its practice squad, according to Buccaneers beat writer Greg Auman.
Klein came off the board late in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 10 picks after the Lions took starting left guard Christian Mahogany. Since then, he has been used all over the line in Tampa Bay. Over two seasons, he appeared in 26 games and made one start.
That versatility has been the calling card. As a rookie, Klein split preseason reps at left guard, right guard and right tackle.
In the 2025 preseason, Tampa Bay moved him between left guard, right guard and, mostly, center. This past preseason, he was back at left guard, right guard and right tackle.
His lone NFL start came last season in Week 3 against the New York Jets, when he played 72 snaps. The pass protection was strong - he posted a 79.0 PFF grade - but the run game was a different story, with a 32.4 PFF grade.
This summer, his results swung with the spot he played. Klein earned a 74.2 grade at left guard in preseason Week 1, then a 64.0 grade at right guard and right tackle in Week 2.
In Week 3, while working only at right tackle, his grade dropped to 43.4. He also gave up three pressures and two sacks over 35 snaps in that preseason finale.
How Detroit uses him remains to be seen. The Lions already have five projected starters, plus offensive tackle Larry Borom, backup center Seth McLaughlin, reserve guard Ben Bartch and utility lineman Miles Frazier. Mason Miller and Devin Cochran are also on the practice squad.
Klein looks like a better fit inside, but Detroit is thinner at tackle. For now, the Lions are bringing in another flexible piece and sorting out the rest once he’s officially in the building.
In Other News...
Lions Already Have A New Reason To Feel Great About Blake Miller
The Lions went into the preseason looking to sort out the right side of their offensive line, and Blake Miller has wasted little time making the decision easy. Detroit took the tackle with the No. 17 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, then watched him work his way into the starting right tackle job by outplaying veteran Larry Borom and earning steady praise from the coaching staff and the media.
Miller has looked comfortable in both phases of the game, showing the kind of power in the run game and reliability in pass protection that can settle an offense quickly. For a team that values stability up front, it is an encouraging early sign that the rookie is not just holding his own, but pushing the Lions to feel better about a spot they needed to get right. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Branch Could Give Lions Defense A Huge Early Lift
Brian Branchs arrival on the sideline this fall is still expected to come with a delay, but the Lions have reason to believe the wait wont be a long one. The versatile defensive back is slated to open the 2026 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list after the Achilles injury he suffered in December 2025, a setback that would normally cloud a players early-season availability much more heavily than this one appears to.
Branchs recovery has reportedly been moving in the right direction, and there is already a sense he could be back at practice after only two weeks on PUP. If that timetable holds, Detroit could be talking about getting one of its most valuable defensive pieces back by Week 6 or Week 7, a boost that would matter even more given how much the unit leans on his range and flexibility compared with the situation around Kerby Joseph. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Still Have One Notable Opening Week Question To Answer
The Lions opening-week roster picture settled quickly enough on paper, but one move still stands out from the cutdown process. Detroit released veteran wide receiver Greg Dortch during roster cuts, a decision that caught some fans and analysts off guard, and he has since landed on the Buffalo Bills practice squad. Even with the rest of the depth chart taking shape, the clubs handling of players with return experience made it clear that this spot was not treated like an afterthought.
Return duties remain one of the more interesting loose ends for Detroit as the season approaches. The Lions also moved on from other players who had handled returns before, which suggests the coaching staff is still weighing alternatives rather than simply handing the job to the most obvious candidate. For a team trying to maximize every hidden-yardage advantage, that choice could matter once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]